Service

My congenital cataract shaped much of my social and educational values. Growing up in a small town in Maine with a sizable Somali refugee community, I witnessed the power and challenges of diversity. I experienced exclusion alongside my Somali classmates—while their marginalization was rooted in racial bias, mine stemmed from my inability to catch a ball because of my amblyopia. During this time, I learned I could master a frisbee’s slower and more predictable flight. Recognizing the importance of community, I founded my high school’s frisbee team, actively inviting my sidelined Somali friends and fostering a space where everyone was welcome. My commitment to inclusivity carried into college, where I continued recruiting for the frisbee team and supporting participation across all genders and backgrounds.

I have prioritized outreach to promote STEM early in a student’s education. I participated in Northeastern’s Young Scholar Program to mentor local high school students. I also mentored Northeastern’s iGEM team, volunteered to judge the Boston Science and Engineering Fair, and spoke at a high school in Maine about my journey into research. Visiting high schools, particularly those in rural areas, and presenting my research is an excellent way of communicating with younger generations. Such community and student interactions are essential for promoting diversity and inclusion, and I plan to continue speaking to high schoolers as a professor.

Ad hoc peer reviewer for: Micromachines, Journal of Visualized Experiments, ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering